Protect our Protectors

I wish people understood what it was like from a police perspective. Try standing in public order equipment, facing the very people you are employed to protect. Being attacked over an incident that was neither their doing, or anywhere near their jurisdiction. Being forced to show restraint and watch criminals and anarchists taking advantage of a terrible situation..looting...destruction of property..assaulting business owners.

It aggrieves me seeing the police criticised over in the USA for the alleged "assault" of an Australian News Crew in Washington during a crowd clearance.

These police are heavily outnumbered and yet stand the ground to protect life and property. Making police out to be thugs and violent is both reckless and disrespectful. One minute the media is saying the conditions are like a war zone and the resulting police clamp down had calmed the situation, the next, that police are heavy handed and over reacting.

If they need to clear a section of roadway, there is always a tonne of communication and requests to move. I see our opposition political leadership on the news today saying that Journalists were assaulted doing their jobs.....These journo's should have listened to police directions and moved as directed. Their presence in these mobs can actually incite group activities.

The police tactics always look excessive and rough from the comforts of your lounge room...try moving a crowd that outnumbers you 50-1 without being physical, and after you have begged them to move numerous times.

We need to support police, they are the Thin Blue Line that protects us all. The actions of a handful of police in Minneapolis recently, has been completely condemned by Law Enforcement around the world. Police are as incensed and disgusted as anyone in the community of what occurred here.

If the police in any country took the easy option, they would retract to the safety of their police stations and let the community deal with the violence and anarchy in their own professionally trained manner (insert sarcasm emoji if there was one).

Now we are seeing organised anarchist activities pop up around the globe and here in Australia. At least in Australia, NSW Police and peaceful protestors showed some great cooperation overnight in Sydney which can only occur with respect and restraint from both sides. NSW has an amazing public order capability that is well trained and professionally restrained when operating.

Look after our police, respect them, and understand the difficulty and complexity of their position in our society.

Stay safe to all first responders where ever you are!